SLICK DEAL: The Independent Petroleum Association of America has hired Mallori McClure and Samantha McDonald, legislative assistants from the offices of Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) and John Fleming (R-La.), according to Politico.

The Independent Petroleum Association of America has supported Lamborn in every election since 2006, when the Colorado lawmaker was first elected: Individuals associated with IPAA and its affiliated PAC have contributed $16,500 to his campaigns overall. The IPAA’s PAC has also donated a total of $2,000 to Fleming since the 2010 election cycle (he was first elected in 2008).

Why might these two Republicans be good targets for the IPAA? Both are members of the House Natural Resources Committee, so they — and their staffs — have close close contact with the oil and gas industry. As the chairman of the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, Lamborn in particular is a natural favorite for the IPAA.

According to Center for Responsive Politics research, the oil and gas industry is Lamborn’s No. 2 overall contributor over the course of his career.

OBAMA’S TRANSPARENCY BACKSLIDE: It takes a ton of cash to put on the sort of show President Barack Obama has planned this weekend for his second inauguration. But who’s paying for it — and what might they want in return?

In a Los Angeles Times op-ed this morning, Center for Responsive Politics Executive Director Sheila Krumholz argues that these are key questions for the public to be asking any incoming administration.

This year, the Obama administration is making those questions harder to answer.

In 2009, Barack Obama’s Presidential Inaugural Committee voluntarily provided full information about the individuals opening their checkbooks for Obama’s inauguration — name, address, ZIP code, occupation, employer and, vitally, the amount they contributed. This year however, “after nudging from our staff and others, and again last week, the committee released a far less helpful list,” Krumholz notes.

The list includes only the names of the donors — no occupations, no geographical information, and no dollar figures. Obama’s committee is keeping all of that out of the public’s view. And Obama has upped the ante this time, allowing gifts of any amount and giving the OK for corporations to pony up for the party. In 2009, there were safeguards: donors had be flesh-and-blood human beings, and they were capped at giving $50,000.

The Center for Responsive Politics has compiled a list of this year’s donors, and cross-referenced those names with our extensive database of political contributors, to give the public at least some context as to who these individuals are — and what interests they might represent.

SUPER PAC DEADLOCK: The Federal Election Commission will not investigate claims that former Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) illegally coordinated with a super PAC, according to a Politico report.

Scott Abrams, campaign manager for Berman opponent Brad Sherman, filed the complaint, which alleged that Berman and the super PAC coordinated because Jerry Seedborg served as a consultant for both Berman and the super PAC.

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